Speed-measuring apparatus.



D. F. COMSTOCK & H. T. KALMUS. SPEED MEASURING APPARATUS.

. APPLICATION FILED AUG.2. I909. 1,136,105. Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.Abborr e y s.

D. F. COMSTOCK & H. T. KALMUS. SPEED MEASURING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUG.2| I909).

1,136,105. Patentd A t-10,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wibzessgns: I jquoqborg U TED STATES PATENT oFFIos. j

DANIEL nico'us'rocx, or momma, AND nmmaa r 'r. mussel Bosses, aussacnusn'r'rs. a

v srnan-fisasumnc armum'rus.

' tains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to speed" measuring apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus-for measuring the linealspeed of moving. objects. Inits preferred embodiment, the apparatus remainsin a fixed positionand the'speed of themoving objectis measured while the object is movingaway or receding from the'apparatusr The apparatus is, therefore, Lpeculiarly adapted to ;measuring the speed ofautomobiles, and in this'application our. invention .will be particularly described in connection with such use. It should be distinctly. understood.

" however, that our invention, in the scope of its application, is not limitedto this partic'ular use,-but, viewing it broadly, may be applied to many other uses, as will be readily recognized by those skilledin the art to which the invention .appertains.

. -The embodimentof our invention herein illustrated and described is animprovement upon the speed measuring apparatus of our Unite'd'States PatentNo. 942,132'dated December 7, 1909., In determining the speed of an automobile withthe apparatus of our said patent, two photographic negatives' are made of the automobile as it. retreats from the observer, who holds and operates the apparatus, and the time interval between the making of the two negatives is measured by a stop watch. The time interval is thereafter recorded from an observation of the stop watch, prints are-made from the negatives, and the difference in the represented length of some part of the automobile, for

6 insta noe, the wheel gage, which isordinarilv standard andthcre'fore known,is measured from the pictures. Havi-n obtained this data, and knowing the stan ard wheel gage and the focal length of the cameras with which the pictures were made, the. distancetraveled by theautomobile during the inter- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr.'20,;,1915,

'Appllcaflon filed August-2, mos. Serial No. 510,783.

lawinvolving a violation of speed regulations when the apparatus hasbcen operated by an oflicer of the law. It is desirable, therefore, to cause the apparatus to make a permanent record of the two positions assumedby the hand of' -the. ,watch on the watch 'd'lalySO that 'errors'in .readin the watch will be eliminated. Itis also esir- I able to construct the apparatus so "that the operator can inspect the time measuring mechanismv during the actual-exposure of the plates inorder to ascertain whether or not this mechanismis working.

Onej object" of our present invention is to provide a combined photographic and time recording apparatus which may be em-; played to make two exposures, of two films or plates or oftwo parts of a single film or plate, in succession, and which also photographs, preferably. upon the same negative, a representation of the time interval, between the two exposures.

Another object of ourpresent invention is to so arrange the time measuring mechanism withinthe apparatus that it: may {at the same instant of timebe both photographed of the apparatus.

' Other objects of our: inventionare-to provide an apparatus of the character described which will. be simple andcompact in con struction, positive. in its operation. and accurate in the-results obtained. i 1 s In accordance with these objects'one feature of our invention'contemplates the provision in a duplex photographic camera, that is,=a camera adapted to take two pic.- tures Bin succession, of a time recording mechanism located between the lenses and the plate, preferablvimmediately iii-front of the plate, so that when the plateis developed after. exposure the representation: of the time recording mechanism will be shown as an unexposed area. In the preferrerl e'mbodiment of the invention the time I watch dial,-co6perating with which there is a -fdelioategmvatch.hand, extending to theannulus, rotated by suitable watch works within the annulus. With such a -construc tion, when the plate is developed after exposure, in addition to bearing a representation of the objects outside the camera, it also bears a representation of the annulus referred to and the position of the watch hand relative thereto at the time each exposure was made. a

In accordance with another feature of our invention the watch works are inclosed in a transverse light-tight casing between the lenses and in addition to the hand already referred to which is outside of this casing and-moves in front of .the plate, a-second hand within the casing is provided, moving synchronously with the other hand, which,

. through the intervention of a series of mirto means for positively insuring a starting of theltime measuring mechanism before the first exposure is made and for insuring a continuation of its operation until after the second exposure is made,.to means for making two exposures, with an interval of time between them, under control of a-single actuating device, and to-means' for perfecting the construction and mode of operation, of apparatusof this character.

The features of'our' invention. heretofore referred to, including certaindetails of construction and combinations of parts, as will hereafter appear, will be further explained in the following description and then' particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The, preferred embodimentof the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings,

in which, Y

. 'Figure 1 is an elevation of the mechanism at the front of the apparatus, the front cover plate being-removed; Fig.' 2 is an elevation looking into the apparatus from the, rear, the rear-cover plate beingremoved; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 of-Fig. 1'; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the left hand side of the apparatus, viewing Fig. 1,

\vith'the side of the casing removed; and Fig. 5 is an elevation of the left hand side ofthe forward portion of the apparatus, viewing Fig. 1. I

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings,'a casing 2 is provide'd which incloses a duplex photographic camera, that is, a camera which is adapted to take two pictures, preferably in succession. Thejcasing is. provided with avertical partition 3 (Fig. 4) near its front end, in

which are mounted two casings for lenses 4 and5, which casings may be of-any suitable and convenient construction. Extending rearwardly from the partition 3, is, a centrall arranged, transverse partition" 6 which I i divi es the space in the rear of the partition 3 into two compartments. The partition 6 extends about half way toward the rear end of the casing 2, and at the rear, of this-partition there is provided a pair of vertical guides 7 (Figs. 3 and 4) in front of which there may be slipped a plate, or film holder of usual construction. In the rear of the guides 7 there is provided an open space which is used as a storage space for extra plate holders, as is usual. When a plate holder is in position, as shown at 8 in dotted lines Fig. 3, it abuts against the rear end of the transverse partition 6, andthe portions I of the plate within the holder extend above and below said partition, thus forming the two plates on which pictures are taken through the lenses 4 and 5. Obviously it is immaterial whether a single plate be placed" partition 6 for taking two separate pictures 96' of the same object. Since there are'the two sensitized surfaces, the separate pictures of the object can be taken in rapid succession without reloading the camera. s k

Referring-now to Fig. 1, the lenses 4 and 10b 5 are provided with the usualshutters, and each shutter is provided with a convenient form of escapeme'nt. A 1 portion 'of the escapement of theshutter for-the lens 4 is indicated at 9, and a ortion of the escape 10B ment of the shutter for the lens 5 is indicated at- 10. The casing of the camera at its left hand side is provided with an opening 11 through which there projects an actuating device 12 which is secured to the lower endlof a slide bar 13, moving in, suitable guides 14, projecting from the inner surface of the casing in front ofthe vertical parti-" tion 3. The slide bar 13 at its upper end is provided with a slot 15 within which there 11 projects a pin 16 (Fig. 4) upon the portion 9 of the escapement of the shutter for the lens .4. Pivoted at the lower end of the slide bar 13 is a bar 17 provided withfa forked end which embraces a pin projecting from .120 the portion 10 of the escapement of the shutter for the lens 5. The escapeinent of this lens shutter is operated 'by-means of a coiled spring 18 having one end connected to the 1 escapement and its other end to the casing of the camera. A bracket 19 ('Fig. 1) pro-' j ecting from the inner face of the casing has pivoted thereon alever 20 the inner end of which projects into a recess (see dotted lines in Fig. 1) formed in the portion 10 of the 1w escapement of the shutter for the lens 5, and normally holds this shutter set, as shown in Fig. 1. The lev er 20 is provided with an upwardly projecting arm 21 for a pur ose i to be presently referred to. Projecting rom theiorward face of the partition 3 are two arbors 23and 24 (Fig. 4), the lower one 24 of which carries a weighted wheel 25. This wheel is connected by a suitable train of pinions and gear w'heels26 (Fig. 1) with a segment 27 upon one end of a lever 28 pivoted upon a third arbor 29 also projecting 3 from the front face of the partition 3. The lever 28 is connected to the slide bar 13 by,

means of a coiledfspring 30. The slide bar 13 is provided with a pin 31 (Fig.3) which projects rearwardly to a point beneath the end of the lever 28. With this construction the shutters of bothof'the lenses 4 and 5 may be set by an upward movementof the slide bar 13, but upon a downward'movement ofsaid bar the shutters are released in succession,withthe-lapse. of a measured time interval between their successive releases.

escapement 9 This occurs in the following manner: Upon pressing upwardly upon the actuatin devicev 12, the slide bar 13 is also move upwardly within its guides and the lower end of the slot 15, at its upper -end, engages the and sets the shutter for the lens 4 to which it is connected. Substantially simultaneously, the forked end of the bar 17 engages the cscapement 10 and moves it in a direction to set the shutter for the lens 5, at the same'time elongating the spring 18.

" When the escapement 10 is set by the upward movement-of the bar 17 the lever 20 drops by gravity into'the recess in'the portion 10 of theescapemen't of the shutter and holds the shutter set against the force of the spring 18. The upward .:movement of the slide bar 13 also causes the pin 31:to engage the lever 28 and move its outer and upward, incidentally'rotating the weighted wheel 25,

[due to the angular movementof the segment 27. The shutters being set, the camera isnow in readiness to take its two pictures. To take thepictures the actuating device 12 is depressed. With the construction. ust described, a depression of'the actuatmg device 12 first removes the bar 17 from the escapement 10 so that it is free at the appointed time. to be operated by its spr ng 18, and next engages the escapement-qwit i the upper end of the slot 15, a continued downward movement. of the operating de-.

vice releasing the shutter for the lens t and causing exposure of the plate in the chamber above the transverse partition 6. The lowering'of the slide bar 13 moves'the pin 31, which has been supporting the lever 28,

away from this lever and at the same time elongates the coiled spring 30. The tension of this spring immedlately operates to draw the outer end of the lever 28. downward segment 27 abuts when the lever 28 is drawn slow one owing to the inertia of the wei hted wheel 25, which must beovercome. he

wheel 25 and train-of gears and pinions 26 therefore act as a retarding or time-consuming mechanism to delay the time of'operation ofv the shutter for the lens 5. In a short time, in practice in about one'secon'd, the spring '30 has pulled the lever 28' downward a suflicient distance for it to engage with the upwardly projecting arm 21 of the lever 20, and, by pressure upon said arm, turn the lever in a direction to remove its? inner end from the recess in the esc'apement 10. As soon as this occurs, the spring 18' operates to release the shutter for the lens 5. This mechanism therefore provides a single device by which both of the shutters for the two lenses of the duplex photographic camera may be set,and thereafter released L r in succession, but with a definite interval of time elapsing between therelease-of the-two shutters. A leaf spring 32 (Fig. 1 is pro vided against which the upper endv ofthe f downwardly by its spring 30, thus yieldingly-stopping the rotation of the weighted wheel 25 under the action of saidspring.

A light tight chamber s is formed a the 'rear end of and within the transversepartition 6, and a time measuring mechanism is I located in this chamber. As the particular construction of this mechanism forms no part of our present invention, it need not be described further than to say that it is"- preferably of the stop watch type, but the mechanism is constructed to cause the moving hand of the watch to pass through a complete revolution over the watch dial after the hand is once started. In the present construction-the moving hand or indi- I cator 33 (Figs. 2 and 4) ofthe'ti'me measuring mechanism is mounted upon the usual central arbor which projects from the rear end of the transverse partition 6. The'moving hand is of a sufficient length to extend. into the chamber both above and below the partition as it is moved angularly by the watch works. ,Also secured tothe-rea'r of the pa i-tition'is an annulus 34 which repre sents the dial of the watch and is divided into s aces representing 15th seconds (see Fig. 2 The stop watch is provided with,

the usual form of starting lever 35,0. depres about its pivot 29, but this movement is a At its forward end the rock shaft is provided with'a second crank 38, the end of which extends across the slide bar 13 (see Fig. 1). The crank 38 is held with its free end in engagement withithe lower sideof a 7 pin 39 projecting fromthe slide bar 13 by means ofa coiled spring 40 (Fig. 1) extending between the crank and a stationary part Of the camera. This position of the crank 38 maintains the crank- 37 out of contact with the starting lever 35 of the time measuring mechanism. With this construction, when the actuating lever 12 is depressed, as

' heretofore described, to release the two shutters and expose the plates within the camera, during the time that the pin 16 is traversing the slot 15 at the upper end of the slide bar, the: pin 39 is bearing upon the crank 38 and has moved, it downward a sufficient distance to cause the crank 37 at the rear end of the rock shaft 36 to engage and'bear upon the starting lever 35 with sufficient force to start the watch works within the space S in operation." Thus the moving hand 33 of the time measuring mechanism is set in operationprior to the release of the shutter for the lens 4: of the uppercamera' which takes the firstpicture,

. because this lens is not released until the upper end of the slot 15. engages and bears upon the pin 16. By thetime the shutter for the lower lens 5'is released the moving hand 330i the time measuring mechanism has moved to'a position on the lower portion of the'annulus 34 as shown in dotted lines inFig. 2, and is, therefore, withinthe space below the transverse partitionr6,which forms the lower camera. When the plate is developed, a representation of the annulus 34 isshown on the negative as an unexposed area,'as"this annulus covers a portion of the plate at the time the pictures were being taken. There is also shown upon the plate,

'both' above :and below the blank space which indicates the depth of the transverse part1- tion 16', lines or streaks showing the exact positions of the moving hand 33 of the stop watchfat the instant of time that the upper picture was taken, and at the instant of time that the lower picture was taken. This must necessarily be so, because the ray of light which takes the picture is prevented from rchching that, portion of the plate behind the moving hand, in whatever position thathand may be, and,.therefore, when the plate isdeveloped, this nortion'of the plate is shown as an unexposed area. As the notches which indicate intervals of time on the annulus 34: are plainly visible upon the tween the taking of the two pictures can be readily measured by computing'the distance I vbetween the two positions of the moving hand' shown u.on the ne ative. The nea- D b tive',-or'the print" tak'e'n therefrom, forms,

negative, the'amount of timeelapsing be-- therefore, a permanent record of the interval of time elapsing'between the taking of. v

the two pictures.

As the Watch worksand moving; hand 33 are entirely hidden within the camera, lli is impossible to determine fromthe timemeasuring mechanism itself whether or not it is in operation at the time the plate is exposed. In orderto permit the'operator to assure himself that the time measuring mechanism is in operation, an opemng'leading to the mechanism and closed by a door 41 (Fig. 5) is provided in the side of the" camera casing. This opening extends (see Fig. 3) within the transverse partition 6 and to the front of the chamber S within which the watch worksare'located. On the partition 6 opposite thisdial there is pro vided a 45 mirror 43 which reflects the w front wall of this chamber there is provided a dial 12 (see dotted'lines, Fig. 2) having .a moving hand 43 (Fig. 4L), and within the dial. The inner face of the door 41, which closes the opening in the casing of the camera, s also provided With a m1'rror'44 which receives the reflection of the dial from 1 the mirror 43. Whenthe door is open, the operator can, by looking down, seetheirer fiection of the dial 42 in the mirror 44, and

by an inspection of this-reflection can determine 'whetheror not the hand 43 is moving during the time that. the plate'within the camera is being exposed. The hand 43 is arranged to 'movesynchronously with the hand 33, and therefore,-if the operatorsees that the hand in the reflection is: in operation, he is certain that the hand which is moving across the front of the film or plate is in operation, and is being photographed.

Inoperation the operator,- noting the approach of an automobile, the speed of which he desires to ascertain, allows-it to pass him, and thereafter he presses the actuating device 12, which first sets the time measuring mechanism in operation, and thereafter'exposesythe plate within the camera,- first through 'the lens 4;, andafter an interval of time has elapsed, through the lens 5.

After the plate has been deevloped, either the negative, or print therefrom, is marked with the date, the time indicated by the two positions ofgthe moving hand. of the stop watch, and any other data which may seem desirable. The represented length of the wheel gages of the rear wheels of the automobile in the two pictures is thenlearefully measured and the distance traveled by the automobile is computed from the following formula in whi'ch'D is thedistance traveled by. the;

automobile between the taking ofthe :twopictures, f thefocal length of thecameras,

G- the-wheel gage of the automobile, g the ured on the picturefirst taken, and'g' the.

represented length of the wheel gage measrepresented wheel gage measured on the picture last taken. Having ascertained the dis tance traveled by the automobile between the taking of the pictures and knowing the time interval, the speed is readily determined.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the entire apparatus is self contained', that is, the picture taking and time recording mechanisms are organized complete in one device. In the preferred form of the invention a single casing, for convenience and portability, incloses both the photographic and chronometric apparatus.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention is thus particularly. suited to the uses referred to more specifically herein.

tofore described and hereinafter claimed to As webelieve all of the mechanism herebe broadly new, nothing herein contained is to be interpreted as limiting ourinvention in the scope of its application to use in connection with the particular machine or the articular-mode of operation, or both, herein illustrated and-described- 1 While the particulars of construction herein set forth are well suited to one mechanical form of the invention, it is not to be understood that. these particulars are essential since they may be variously modified within'the skill of the artisan without departing'from the true scope of the actual invention as defined in the following claims.

What'is claimed as new is I 1. An apparatus for determining the speed of a moving object having, in combination, photographic apparatus havin light receivmg apertures and a sensitize surface for taking two separate pictures of the moving object in rapid succession, and chronometric apparatus mounted with the photographic apparatus between the apertures and the sentitized surface and operating in connecpermanently record the elapsed. time betwo sensitized surfaces, means having light receiving apertures for successively exposing the two surfaces to take separate and successive pictures of the movlng object, and

chronometric apparatus between the apertures and the sensitized surface for causing a permanent record to be made of the time at which the exposures were taken, substantially as described.

3. An apparatus of the character described, having, I in combination, a camera fortaking two' separate pictures in succession, and a time measuring mechanism having an indicator. located Within the camera.

and in front of the film or plate whereb mi? for taking two separate pictures, watch works within the camera, and a hand controlled by the watch works movingin front of the film or plate whereby the positions, of the hand corresponding to the time of the exposures will be denoted on the negatives by unexposed areas, substantially as described.

5. .An apparatus of the character de-' scribed, having, in combination, two separate camera mechanisms, a single actuating device controlling both of the shutters, a time interval measuring device having a dial and single recording hand, and arranged to cause the camera mechanism to record the position of the hand on its dial at the in.- stants of time pictures are taken by each of the cameras, substantially as described.

picture taking means and between the apertures andv the sensitized surface for-causing the picture taking means to record the rela ti've. time at which each picture is taken, substantially as described.

7. An apparatus of the character described, having, in combination, means for taking successive pictures of any moving ob ect comprising a duplex photographic camera,v a single actuating device for causing therelease of both of the shutters,.and mechanism for causing an nterval of time to elapse between the release of the shutters,

and means mountedwith the picture taking means for causing the picture taking means to record the relative time at 'which;.each shutter is released, scribed. 8. Anflapparatus ofthe, character described, having, in combination, means for taking successive pictures of any moving object comprising a duplex photographic camera, a single actuating device for setting and releasing the shutters, and mechanism controlled by a movement of said device .for

substantially. as decausing an interval of timeto elapsebe tween the release of the shuttersmnd means. mounted with the picture taking means for causing the picture taking means to record the length of said time interval,. substan-' tially as described.

9. An apparatus of the character described, having, in combination, a duplex photographic camera, a stop watch within V the camera, a single actuating device, and connections therefrom to 1 start the stop watch andthereafter cause the camera to take two pictures in succession, substantially as described. 10. An apparatus of 'the' character described, having, iii-combination, a duplex photographic camera, a stop watch having a moving hand within the camera, and means tostart the stop watch and thereafter take two pictures in succession and with the taking of each picture simultaneously record:

the position of the hand of the stop watch, substantially'as described.

11. An apparatus of the character described, having, in combination, a duplex photographic camera, a device for setting both shutters and for releasing one, a retarding'or time consuming mechanism cooperating with said device for releasing the other shutter, and provisioncontrolled by said device for measuring the elapsed time between the relase of the two shutters, substantially as described. a 12. An apparatus for determining the speed of a moving object, having, in combination, a casing, means within the casing for taking two pictures of'the moving object in succession, a time measuring mechanism operatively connected with the picture takingmeans for recordingthe time after the. taking of the first picture at which the second picture is taken, said apparatus having provision permittingthe operator to observe the operation of the time measuring mechanism while taking the pictures, substantially as described.

13f An apparatus for determining the speed of a moving object, having, in combination', means for taking two pictures of the moving object in succession, mechanism vfor measuring the time interval between the taking of the pictures so arranged within the apparatus as to cause the picture taking means to record the relative time at which 1 eachpicture is'taken, and mirrors forreflecting'said mechanism to a point-where its operationcan be observed by the operator, substantially as described.

14. An apparatus for determining the speed ,of a moving object. having, in combination, a duplex camera. for taking two pictures of the moving object in succession, mechanism for mcasurin the time interval between the taking of t epictures so arrangedwithin the camera as to cause the operation of said mechanism may be picture taking means to record the relative' face, whereby when the door is open, the

served, substantially as described. 15. An apparatus for determining the reflection of said mechanism onto said sur-' speed of a moving object, having, in'tcombination, a duplex photographic camera, having means provided with light receiving apertures for taking two pictures'of the moving object in succession on sensitized surfaces comprising a manually operated device for releasing one shutter and automatic means located between the apertures and the sensitized surfaces controlled by said device for releasing the other shutterand for causing a measured time interval to'elapse between the taking of the pictures, substan tially as described.

16. An apparatusfor measuring the speed of a moving object, having, in combination,

a time measuring mechanism havingan indicator, and picture taking means mounted 1 with the time measuring" mechanism and comprisinga camera hav ng a focusing lens and a sensitized'surface for taking successive pictures of the moving object and for recording the position of'said indicator at the time each picture is taken, said indicaltor being located between the'len's andfthe sensitized surface, substantially as described.

- i 17. An apparatus formeasuring the speed of a moving object, having, in combination, means for taking successive pictures 'ofthe moving object comprising a camera having a focusing lens and a sensitized surface, and

means between the lens and the sensitized surface for causing .said picture taking means to record the relative time at which each picture is taken, substantially as described. v

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL F; ooMsTooK.

HERBERT vT. KALMUS;

Witnesses to the signature of Daniel F. I 

